In Your Natural Environment, Literally

Get outdoors this season and explore the nature that this beautiful area has to offer. Living River Exploration Days at Green Island are the second Saturday of the month from March to December. This summer, 1,100 acres and seven miles of gravel road and paved paths in a private area become public on certain days for people to explore. Grab your fishing gear and head out to the edge of the Willamette River or find restored gravel ponds. You and your bike can spin your wheels and get going on the trails — a mix of loose gravel and dirt farm roads. Feel like walking? Stroll near the confluence where the Willamette and McKenzie Rivers meet and observe 15 years of tree-planting and over 150 species of birds. The Green Island Ambassadors are a group of volunteers trained to direct you where you need to go and answer questions. “It’s easy — even when there’s lots of folks out there — to have a private quiet experience with nature. You can really feel like you’re out in a wild area,” says Holly McRae, McKenzie River Trust’s events and outreach manager. “It’s really just meant as a way for people to connect with Green Island in the way that they want to.”

Living River Exploration Days are 8 am to 6 pm June 8, July 13 and August 10 and 8 am to 4 pm Sept. 14, Oct.12, Nov. 9 and Dec. 14 at Green Island, 31799-31601 Green Island Road. FREE. Pets are prohibited. More information at McKenzieRiver.org.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!